Original photo by Doug Houghton/ Alamy Stock Photo
You’d be forgiven for assuming that IKEA is a Swedish word related to furniture. In fact, it’s an acronym that combines the initials of founder Ingvar Kamprad (IK) with the name of the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd) and a nearby village (Agunnaryd). Kamprad was just 17 when he founded the company in 1943, initially selling small household items — think pens and wallets — rather than beds and sofas. He likely had no idea that there would one day be more than 450 IKEA stores across the globe.
Oops, incorrect!
It's a fibIt’s actually an initialism, which differs from an acronym in one key way — the former is pronounced one letter at a time and the latter is pronounced as a word. Other examples of initialisms include CIA and HTML, while POTUS and NASA are acronyms.
IKEA isn’t the only unexpected acronym. It’s joined on that list by “laser” (light amplification by the stimulated emission of radiation), “scuba” (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus), “radar” (radio detection and ranging), and even fellow Swedes ABBA (Agnetha, Björn, Benny, and Anni-Frid).
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IKEA began publishing its famous catalogue in ______.
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IKEA began publishing its famous catalogue in 1951.
IKEA’s naming system is related to its founder’s dyslexia.
Because he struggled with the neurological disorder, Kamprad developed the company’s distinct naming system to help him remember and visualize products in a way that code numbers couldn’t. Rugs are usually named after places in Denmark and Sweden, garden furniture is named after Scandinavian islands, and fabrics and curtains are based on Scandinavian girls’ names, to cite just a few examples. One devoted IKEA fan has even developed an unofficial dictionary to help shoppers translate the names of their new bookcases and vases into English.
Michael Nordine is a writer and editor living in Denver. A native Angeleno, he has two cats and wishes he had more.
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